Question

Bruno often acts overly confident and daring. Few people realize he is actually riddled with unconscious insecurity and self-doubt. Bruno BEST illustrates the use of a defense mechanism known as _____.

Answer 1

Bruno BEST illustrates the use of a defense mechanism known as reaction formation.

Explanation:

According to Freud’s psychoanalysis, reaction formation is a type of ego defense mechanism. Ego defenses help one to protect oneself and feel better from personal guilt or anxiety when superego turns to be too demanding.  

Reaction formation is a type of defense mechanism employed by a person when he/she tries to mask his/her original true or inner feeling, desire, impulses, or opinion about something and pretends an opposite feeling, desire, impulses, or opinion about the same thing in a much more exaggerated way.

Bruno who is actually feeling insecure and filled with self-doubt unconsciously, he tries to act overly confident and daring which is an opposite reaction .